There are quite a few players in this year’s NBA draft who have major upside. Donatas Montiejunas is one of them. Donatas has been on NBA GM’s radars for quite a few years. Donatas could have been a lottery pick last year, but elected to play another season with Benetton Treviso. Having added 15 pounds of muscle and expanded his game, playing another year in Europe seems to have been a good call.
Montiejunas at 7′ is one of the most mobile centers in the draft. Montiejunas is the antithesis of Bismack Biyambo. His game is all offense. What he lacks in interior defense, he more than makes up with post moves, handle, and facilitation. He’s extremely polished on the offensive end. He can hit the 3. He can face an opponent up and take him to the rack. He can dish. He can run the floor. And he can play in the low post with his back to the basket. Montiejunas is going to be able to score in the NBA.
As good as Donatas is on offense, his interior defense is lacking. Montiejunas only averages .5 blocks over 25 mpg. His best NBA comparison is a young Pau Gassol. Although Donatas has the body and athleticism to be an average defender, he currently is not displaying the insticts for Benetton Treviso.
Montiejunas is an above average rebounder. He is averaging over 10rpg per 40 minutes. He rebounds especially well on the offensive glass. Another positive about Montiejunas is his ability to get to the line. He’s an aggresive player on offense and draws lots of contact.
NBA Ready Skills:
- Length
- Ability to create his own shot
- Shooting
- Rebounding
- Running the floor
- Facilitation
- Ability to draw contact
Weaknesses:
- Interior Defense
- Toughness/Bulk
- Turnovers
The key for Montiejunas in the NBA will be to add more bulk and to continue his transformation into a post player. His ability to shoot will help him, but the key to a dominant NBA career will be to work on his post moves and interior defense. I currently have Montiejunas ranked as the 4th best player in the draft. Along with Vesely and Biyambo, Montiejunas has extraordinary potential. He could end up being as good as Pau Gassol, but his low end is Andres Biedrins. Given his young age and progression in 2011, he should be seriously considered by teams picking in the top 3.
